Petition Replace life sentences with whole life terms for the most serious offenders

We call upon the UK Government to implement legislation that replaces life sentences with whole life terms for offenders whose crimes demonstrate the highest level of severity, such as premeditated murder or violent sexual offences, ensuring no eligibility for parole.

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Current life sentences may allow parole after a minimum life term, even for the most serious crimes. We do not believe this reflects the severity of serious offences. We think replacing life sentences with whole life terms would ensure justice, promote public safety and uphold accountability, while allowing judges to consider mitigating factors on a case by case basis.

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212 signatures

Progress of the petition towards its next target: 212 of 10,000 signatures required to get a government response

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Created by Olivia Sawkins & Sam Brooks
Deadline 13 February 2026 All petitions run for 6 months
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